Commuting & Winter Riding Thread

Panaracer Gravel King; 26, 28 or 32.

Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700x28, if you want something heavyweight.

Dont need to go tubeless. You can buy normal tubes with gel/slime in, or you can put it in yourself (you normally need valves with removable cores to do that)

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Right, so I have about 28 different answers! :joy:

I was hoping for a mass consensus! :man_facepalming:t3:

At least 3 of us have said Marathons. That’s a quorum

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wrt tyres, for you I’d say something smooth like4 Seasons/Gators as I assume you’ll be wanting to put your bike on a turbo from time to time & the Vittorias/Panracers mentioned are a bit knobbly.

As @GRamsay has said you can put some slime into your inner tubes if you have removable cores. Not something I’ve done, but it is a thing.

Had marathon plus on my fixie for years until I’d skidded the rear to death. Have 4 seasons again now but only because I had them on winter wheels left over when I got rid of my last bike. M+ are hard work though, 4Seasons are super fast in comparison and just as tough. Just cost a lot more to replace

My hospital visit a few years ago proved that to me, though they weren’t helped by grit that was rain-washed into the road on the corner

Marathons for me now

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Yes they’ll be on the turbo as well. :+1:t3:

It’s extra cash but I’d try and pick up the cheapest rear wheel (and cassette) you can find and keep an old tyre on it for the turbo. They really do square off and polish the centre of the tyre, not what you want commuting in the wet.

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I used the rubinos on the turbo, old style wheel on obviously. It decorated my wall Jackson Pollock style with the remnants of the tyre.

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Find a rear wheel where the brake track is gone and use that, ask around - there’s always people throwing them out, a trip to the dump even. still need the cassette of course.

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yeah i had hoped that and @mw22 sorted me out with one … that alas didn’t fit my bike :frowning_face:

I don’t really know many people that are throwing away wheels! haha

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Direct drive turbo is the only solution.

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I know … i know. But dollar dollar.

I think i’m getting away with the idea of adding a TT bike to my stable, and it’s not been met with any resistance other than the space argument, which is totally fair. So i need a bike shed thingy as well. But we need that regardless. She even made a joke about all the email alerts she’s been getting from the bikes i’m watching on eBay (we use a shared ebay account) and didn’t just give me a flat no. So that’s acceptance as far as i’m concerned.

If i were to get a DD turbo, it would be very much either/or.

And i’m 90% clear that my A race tri next year will be the TT Cotswolds smackdown. It would be nice to be able to run off the bike this time (oh and going the right way will also help - not sure a TT bike will make much difference to that though!! haha).

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I wasn’t really being serious, but if you have a TT you can set that on the turbo and no need to swap wheels/tyres on your commuter. For me, being able to jump on the turbo without any faff is a big advantage.

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Who’s commuting with a laptop and how are you carrying it?
Always used a rucksack for work, but the need to take laptop home was always rare. That and the fact wife works (and drives) to same office; I could always manage the capacity of the bag.

Now the first world problem of WFH, wife and I doing alternate office days and I’ve got the laptop every journey. Rucksacks already rammed and thats before we get into the depths of winter and carrying 27 pairs of gloves, waterproofs etc.

Panniers make me feel a little bit sick… but seem like the obvious (not sure if i have rack mounts mind). Any other rucksacks good for a laptop? Anything else Im missing?

Edit: and can you fit mudguards and racks - I assume so (God can’t believe wrote that statement… mudguards also used to make me gag a bit).

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I bought this a couiple of months ago. Am commuting once a week, occasioanlly twice. Now hot desking with no space of my own, so carrying shoes, trousers, shirt etc, towel and shower kit, bike lock, laptop, headphones for Teams calls, a few snacks and i guess as we move towards winter i’ll have to bring in a coat/jumper or something to wear during the day. Especially as we have to have the windows open in the offices for ventilation purposes. Our campus is pretty big, so i would often have meetings all over that i need to walk between in whatever the weather.

I must say i’ve been really impressed by it. Construction is good and seems like it will last. It’s comfortable and i don’t notice the weight once it’s on my back even if it seems to weigh a ton when i pick it up. Got the yellow one for visibility.

Also don’t have any mudguards and stuff, but i may just buy one of those ass saver type ones to keep the worst off my butt.

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Yeah I think thats what I’m most interested in. Current rucksack is mega comfy as nothing sticks into my back. Tho once out the saddle its a bit like a pendulum.

And whilst I also avoid black for all my commute stuff now… yellow :face_vomiting:

I have an Altura Sector 30. Had it must be over 5 years, still looks like new. Used daily pre covid for bike and running. Laptop pouch at the back, big main pocket, good front section with little pockets and pouches. Top pocket for keys, loop on the bottom for d lock.

Also has fluorescent rain cover. Great piece of kit.

Grow a beard, get some guards and panniers and your street cred will rise significantly!

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